Apparatus for mortaring upper end of bottom-inserted ladle nozzle



-- Dec. 16, 1969 w. L.. MURRAY 3,484,841

APPARATUS FOR\MORTARING.,.UPPER END OF BOTTOM-INSERTED LADLE NOZZLE Filed ont. 1e, 19s? a sheets-sheet 1 7 -llnm Hllli ,ec. 16,-. 19:69 w. L. MURRAY 3,484,841

APPARATUS FOR MORTARINGQUPPER END OF Bo'r'roMfINsERTED LADLE NozzLE Filed not. 18, 1967 2' sheets-sheet 2 /lvvsw ron. w/LL /A ,u 1.. Mun/m y @YMM United States Patent O 3,484,841 APPARATUS FOR MORTARING UPPER END F BOTTOM-INSERTED LADLE NOZZLE William L. Murray, Duluth, Minn., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 18, 1967, Ser. No. 676,130 Int. Cl. B28b I9/00 U.S. Cl. 25-1 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus comprises a mortar-applying tool including a ram rod with a pressure plate attached thereto mounted for longitudinal movement in an elongated cage having a cylinder at one end for receiving the pressure plate. The head of the cylinder is peripherally notched whereby soft mortar previously deposited on the cylinder head is extruded from the cylinder when the ram rod is moved inwardly of the cage and the pressure plate pressed against the cylinder head. 'Ihe cage is adapted to be positioned on the upper end of a bottom-inserted ladle nozzle so as to effect mortaring of the outer periphery of the upper end of the nozzle in the nozzle block of the ladle.

The present invention relates to hot metal-handling equipment and more particularly to a device for mortaring the upper end of a bottom-inserted hot metal-ladle nozzle in the nozzle block of a ladle.

Before installation into the nozzle block of a hot metal ladle, bottom-inserted refractory nozzles are coated on the sides with a layer of fire clay mortar. Then, as the nozzle is inserted into the nozzle block from the bottom of the ladle, the mortar is drawn back or wiped away from the outer periphery of the upper end of the nozzle. As a result, an irregular void is formed between the periphery of the upper end of the nozzle and the surrounding area of the nozzle block. If this void is permitted to remain, molten metal subsequently poured into the ladle will form a ring around the nozzle. Frequently, the accumulation of hot molten metal in the irregular void will cause a burn-out of the nozzle with a consequent loss of a heat Of steel. This, of course, is conducive to the creation of hazardous conditions, as well as being economically undersirable.

Prior to my invention, it was usual practice to cornpensate for the wiping off of the peripheral iire clay mortar at the upper end of a newly inserted nozzle by permitting the ladle to cool. After the ladle had cooled to substantially ambient temperature, a workman would enter the ladle and manually till the void around the upper end of the nozzle with tire clay mortar. This, of course, caused the ladle to be out of productive service for a period of time. Where the ladle could not -be taken out of service to be permitted to cool, an attempt to till the void around the upper end of the bottom-inserted nozzle was made by pouring sand around the nozzle from the top of the ladle. This, obviously, was not a safe or positive means of correcting the undesirable condition.

It is, accordingly, the primary object of my invention to provide an improved mechanical device for mortaring the upper end of a bottom-inserted ladle nozzle whereby any void existing between the outer periphery of the upper end of the nozzle and the surrounding body of the ladle nozzle block is filled in.

It is a more specialized object of my invention to provide a device including an elongated cage or barrel having a ram rod longitudinally reciprocable therein for moving a pressure plate toward and from the head of a cylinder formed at one end of the barrel to eXtrude soft fire clay mortar through peripheral notches in the cylinder head. The barrel being adapted to be positioned spanning the ICC upper end of a bottom-inserted ladle nozzle to thereby apply soft mortar around the periphery of the upper end of the nozzle.

These and other objects will becorne more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings in'which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view showing the device of the invention in stored position;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged partial elevational view partly in section showing the device of the invention in operative position preparatory to performing a mortaring operation;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the device of the invention in operative position subsequent to performing a mortaring operation;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line IV-IV of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line V-V of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the cylinder head of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2 designates generally the cage or barrel of the device of the invention. The cage 2 may be made up of three radially spaced T-sections 4 unitized by means of two longitudinally spaced guide plates 6, each having aligned rectangular center openings 8 therethrough. A cylinder 10 having a body 12 and a head 14 is formed at one end of the cage 2. A guide pin 16 depends centrally from the outer surface of the cylinder head 14 for a purpose which will become apparent The cylinder head 14 is notched around its periphery as at 18 to provide passageways leading from the interior of the cylinder.

A ram rod 20 having a rectangular cross section is mounted for longitudinal movement in the cage 2 through the rectangular center openings 8 of the guide plates 6. A pressure plate 22 is carried on the inner end of the ram rod 20 by means of a key 24. The pressure plate 22 has a diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of the cylinder 10 so that it move freely longitudinally of the cylinder toward and away from the inner surface of the cylinder head 14.

A shackle 26 and a ring 28 are provided at the end of the ram rod 20 remote from the pressure plate 22 which are utilized to suspend the device of the invention from an overhead crane hook C. A handle 30 projects normal to the ram rod at a point adjacent its upper end so that the entire assembly may be turned for a purpose which will become apparent.

If desired, a plate 32 may be affixed to the ram rod 20 intermediate its ends so that the device rnay be supported for storage on a bifurcated bracket 34 when not in use.

In operation, to mortar the upper end 36 of a bottominserted ladle nozzle 38 which has been inserted in the refractory nozzle block 40 of a hot metal ladle and locked therein in the conventional manner by :a nozzle plate 42 and a keeper plate 44, the ram rod 20 is suspended from the crane hook C so that the cage 2 hangs vertically from the ram rod with the pressure plate 22 abutting the bottom of the lower guide plate 6. A mass M of soft tire clay mortar is then deposited on the inner surface of the cylinder head 14 after which the crane (not shown) is operated to move the cage 2 and ram rod 20 to a position over the upper end of the nozzle 38. The crane hook C is then lowered to cause the cylinder head 14 to rest on and span the upper end of the nozzle 38. The centering pin 16 guides the cage to proper position. =by entering the passageway of the nozzle when the crane hook is lowered. After the cage 2 has been thus positioned, the crane hook C is made to continue its descent causing the ram rod 20 to lower by its own weight which, in turn, causes the psessure plate 22 to enter the cylinder 10 and force the u 3 soft lire clay mortar out of the cylinder through the openin`gs`18` into the void around the upper end of the nozzle. The crane hook C is then raised until the pressure plate 22 is above the cylinder body 12. After the soft mortar has thus been extruded, the entire device is rotated 90 by means of the handle 30 to cleanly cut off the extruded mortar and create a smooth surface thereon. After the device has been rotated by means 0f the handle 30, the crane is manipulated to remove the entire assembly from the ladle. The device can then be cleaned with a water jet (not shown) and stored on the bracket 34, as best shown in FIGURE 1.

Although I have shown the cage 2 of the device as being made up of T-sections, it will be understood that elements other than T-sections can be used for this purpose so long as they are suitable to form a cage or barrel which will provide a guiding framework for the ram rod element and a can-ier for the cylinder 10,

Although I have shown but one embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for mortaring the upper end of a bottominserted ladle nozzle which comprises a ram rod adapted to be suspended in upright position above and aligned with said upper end of said nozzle, a horizontally disposed pressure plate on the lower end of said ram rod, an elongated cage comprising radially spaced elongated members slidably telescoped on the lower end of said ram rod, said cage being of less length than said ram rod, centering guide means ixed in said cage surrounding said ramrod effective to lock said ram rod against rotationalv movement relative to said cage and to block withdrawal of said ram rod and pressure plate from said cage, a cylinder in the bottom end of said cage adapted to slidably receive said pressure plate, a cylinder head on the bottom of said cylinder adapted to span said upper end of said nozzle and support a mass of soft mortar on its inner surface adjacent said upper end of said nozzle, said head having a plurality of openings `spaced aroun'd'its periphery for conducting soft mortar from the inner surface of said head to the outer periphery of said upper end of said nozzle when said ram rod is moved downwardly relative to said cage and 'said pressure plate compresses said mass 0f soft mortar in said cylinder.

2. Apparatus as dened by claim 1 including a centering pin depending from said cylinder lheada'dap'ted t0,`

enter said nozzle and align said cage therewith.

3. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 including handle means on said ram rod whereby the same ismanipulated to rotate said cage relative to said upper end of said nozzlei'.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,500,745 7/1924 Howard et al. .25.-17 2,617,169 11/1952 Bodkin 25-11 X 1,935,076 11/1933 Burns i 25'-15 I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner R. D. BALDWIN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 25-15 

